The Vow
by r2roswell
Summary: Fluff fic. Emma & Neal's wedding day approaches
1. The Dressing Room

**1. The Dressing Room**

* * *

Hands ran down the white satin dress. It was simple yet elegant. Her swan pendant now hung on her neck on a shorter golden chain to make it more elegant. Emma took a deep breath as she folded her hands across her flat abdomen and looked at herself in the mirror. Her mind was racing both from fear and excitement.

It had only been three months since Neal had come back into her life after being away for eleven years. The first month was rocky between them. Emma had so much hate and anger built up so she didn't exactly make it easy.

By the second month things had gotten better and the two had been back to their old selves, a side of Emma no one had ever seen until then, and yet they still managed to keep hold of their present day adult selves. For the first time Emma had understood what the people of Storybrooke, Neal included, had meant when they talked about having their two separate lives conflict.

Come month three Neal had proposed out of the blue. He made a compelling argument saying that they didn't need to waste anymore time getting to know each other. Emma had tried to fight it but ultimately she saw it his way both as a result of her own beliefs as well as looking at her parents who had spent twenty-eight years apart and yet were still as in love as ever as if the twenty-eight years without each other had hardly mattered. What was twenty-eight years to eleven?

The wedding of Neal Cassidy and Sheriff Emma Swan had been the buzz of the town. It was impossible to keep hidden when the Savior was engaged to the son of the Dark One, that's how the town saw Neal at first- a threat simply because of his lineage despite the fact that he was nothing like his father. Little by little as people saw that the wedding was going to in deed happen some of them began to ease up. Others, family especially such as Emma's aunt/godmother, Ruby and her grandmother, had gotten to know Neal, spent time with him. And Henry was always quick to defend his father against anyone who might say otherwise.

Now here she was two months later, her wedding just moments away. Her wedding. The words still didn't sound real. Eleven years ago Emma had known she was ready to spend the rest of her life with Neal but now that it was actually happening she couldn't wrap her mind around it.

* * *

Emma took another deep breath, "So what do you think?" she said looking in the mirror seeing Mary Margaret stand in the doorway in a red dress similar to Emma's. Her mother had a huge smile on her face.

"You look beautiful. You're wearing your necklace."

Emma looked down and touched her swan and smiled. "Yeah, it just seemed right."

"I always noticed it but I don't think you ever told me the story behind it. It must mean something special."

"It does." Emma let out a small laugh, "It was actually a keychain. Neal stole it for me eleven years ago during one of our final heists. Despite what happened he really gave me a lot back then. Not just the keychain and the car but a son," Emma said trying to keep it together. "Looking back regardless of how things turned out having not just any kid but Neal's kid, it's one of the best things that ever happened. This is really happening isn't it?"

Mary Margaret smiled and took hold of Emma's left hand. "It's happening. Are you ready?"

"Honestly, the wedding part I'm not so sure but spending the rest of my life with Neal, I've been ready for that since I was seventeen."

* * *

The two continued to look and smile at each other. There was a knock on the door and after Emma said it was okay to enter Henry and David came into the room. Emma's eyes widened as did her smile. He stood there in a black tux, white shirt and red tie.

"Henry," said Emma, "You look handsome."

"And you look beautiful mom," Henry said going in to hug her.

"He's right," said David, "You really do."

Emma smiled and hugged Henry back and glanced up at her parents who all smiled as well. In the past couple of months Henry had been using the word 'mom' more often. It always tore at Emma's heart strings every time he said it.

The two released each other.

"Have you seen your dad?"

"Yeah," Henry replied. "I can't tell whose more nervous you or him."

"We're probably tied on that one kid."

"Hey Henry," David said to the boy, "You'd better go take your place with Neal, it's almost time."

Henry nodded. "Okay."

* * *

Henry left the room leaving Emma with her parents.

The music slowly started up outside.

"Well," said David, "No turning back now."

"Thank you," Emma said.

"For what," asked Mary Margaret.

"For accepting Neal," Emma replied. "I know it was hard at first, what he did for me, who he is but unlike most people in this town you never judged him. He was always just Neal to me even after I found out the truth. It means a lot that you could think of him the same way."

Mary Margaret squeezed her daughter's hand, "He may share Gold's blood but he is not his father. We see how much he loves you and that's enough for us."

David placed a hand in his pocket, "Just as long as he never hurts you again," he said with a smile.

The music's tempo changed and Mary Margaret looked at Emma and David. "That's my cue," she said leaving the room.

David held out his arm to Emma and she smiled at him linking her left arm in his. The two walked outside and paused at the steps.


	2. The Vow

**2. The Vow**

* * *

It was so strange to see the convent transformed. The weeds and dead vegetation were gone. Luscious green plants mixed with flowers that Emma wasn't familiar with led the way to decorated chairs placed five yards away and a white runway made its way from the staircase to the end where in place was a specially hand crafted wooden wedding arch that seemed to really match the greenery surrounding the area.

Air caught in Emma's throat as her eyes made their way to where her son and future husband were standing. Neal wore a similar tux to Henry's only with a black tie instead. The minister stood behind her boys or in front of them depending on perspective. It was the same minister that had presided over her parents wedding in the grand hall twenty-eight years ago.

The tempo of the music changed and Emma tightened her grip on her fathers' arm.

"You're not going to pass out on me are you," David asked.

"I'm fine," Emma said nervously.

David chuckled, "Okay. Well that's us."

Emma nodded and the two made their way down the stairs and onto the runway.

All that mattered, all that Emma could focus on was Neal. His smile radiated from his face and he could see the same smile on hers. Suddenly a childlike behavior took over and she wanted to race down the aisle to meet him. The slow progression no longer felt fast enough even though she and David were going at a fairly moderate pace.

Finally they made it to the end of the aisle. Mr. Gold sat in the front row on Neal's side and smiled at Emma but she didn't notice. It was hard to pay attention to anything but Neal and Henry.

Mary Margaret, who had been standing across from Neal in place where Emma would be standing, took a couple steps toward Emma and stood on her left.

"Who here gives this woman away to this man," said the minister.

"We do," David and Mary Margaret both said in unison.

Mary Margaret was the first to hug Emma and whisper, "I love you," to her. Emma whispered it back.

Emma then turned to her father who looked like he was ready to cry. He hugged her tightly and then he placed a kiss on her forehead also whispering, "I love you."

Neal reached out for Emma's hand which David then nodded to Neal before placing Emma's hand in his. He then took his place by Mary Margaret.

The minister told everyone to take their seats and he began the ceremony.

"Family and friends we are gathered here today as we witness the unification of Neal Cassidy and Emma Swan. Love can often be a very complicated thing but what is not complicated is its ability to transcend realms. No matter what world love is always there, it always follows and it always finds those who are truly meant to be together.

Neal and Emma have decided to write their own vows so we will now hear the words they have from their hearts. Neal."

Neal turned to Henry who smiled at his dad as he handed him the ring. Neal smiled at him and then turned his attention to Emma.

"Eleven years ago my life was changed forever. You stole my car and right then I knew you had taken me along with it. From that moment on I never wanted anyone else but you. I spent a good portion of my life running away from magic, despising magic but then I met you and not knowing what I know now, I knew, even back then that you were the purest form of magic there ever was and ever will be. I once said that what I really wanted was you and I say those words again because they mean just as much now as they did back then. I love you Emma Swan and I'll never stop loving you."

Neal gently placed the ring on Emma's ring finger.

Emma was beside herself with tears but managed to compose herself as she turned to Mary Margaret who handed her the ring. She turned back to Neal.

Emma took a deep breath and began.

"I always saw myself as damaged. I never thought I was capable of loving someone because I didn't know how to love, I never learned how to love and then I met you and suddenly loving you felt like something I had always known. Few people have ever managed to break down my walls but somehow you got through. I told you I loved you and I had never said those words to anyone before and yet it felt right. Despite the trials we have faced, you are a loving man and you are self sacrificing. You gave me up once to give me my best chance, to give me a chance at finding those I had once lost. And you gave me the perfect son, a child I never wanted with anyone else but you. I never stopped loving you Neal and I never will."

Emma slipped the ring onto Neal's finger. The two smiled at each other.

"With the power vested in me," said the minister, "from one world to another it is my great honor to pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride Mr. Cassidy."

Neal smiled, "About time," he said.

Emma laughed at his comment and the two of them went in softly but anxiously. In this moment nothing else mattered. The world around them disappeared and the only thing that mattered was the way their mouths melded into one another. Nothing could be more perfect than this moment and nothing could take it away.

People stood up and began clapping.

In the distance they could hear muffled laughter and people trying to clear their throats but they were still too lost in one another to fully pay attention. A minute later and the sounds got slightly louder forcing Emma and Neal to pull back. Emma blushed and Neal smiled. She leaned into Neal letting him hold her and Neal reached back pulling Henry in, the three of them standing there as the family that they had always meant to be.


End file.
